Tag Archives: foolproof recipe

Artichoke is high in fibers and antioxidants, it maintains a healthy heart, reduces bad cholesterol, prevents and treats cancer, improves digestion and acts as a diuretic.

Did you know that if artichoke is left to grow wild, it blossoms into large purple flowers? yes artichoke is a bud of a thistle!

This astounding vegetable can be consumed from leaves to heart and even the bottom, this recipe calls for hearts. Braised artichoke hearts with carrots, potato cubes and peas. It’s usually presented as a side dish, salad or mezza, but if paired with rice you can eat as a main dish.

you will need (serves 4):

medium onion finely diced

400 g artichoke hearts

1 cup carrots, chopped in small cubes

1 cup potato, chopped in small cubes

1 cup peas

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

juice of one big lemon

3 cups water

salt to taste

Sautée the onion in butter until fragrant, add the flower and let it cook a bit until it starts to have a golden shade, then pour the lemon. Whisk the mix the same way of doing the roux then the water little by little. You will obtain a silky and viscous sauce. Add the artichoke, potato, carrots and peas and let it cook on low flame until tender.

As i said you can serve it cold as a mezza or hot with rice, or maybe why not trying it with mashed potato. I am personally a big fan of this dish. I love vegetables and i love everything that has citrus, so it is a heavenly combination. Give it a try and i am sure you will love it.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter and instagram. More posts yet to come, stay tuned. Happy cooking!

Oh to those Back to school mixed feelings! Speaking my mind, i don’t know who is being more anxious; me or my kids! I guess i am more nervous. Thinking of them how they will face school related issues (as new teachers, meeting new friends or missing old ones, fitting in, being away from me…..) sparks a upswing in inquietude for me. But thank God seeing them coping easily every year and being happy kids vanish all these exaggerated (only in my head) feelings of unease! Welcome to moms world!

Today after dropping off my 4 year old boy, i head directly to my kitchen to do what i mostly like to do. I wanted to keep my mind busy and stop it from creating scenarios until i pick him up. (Please read the message at the end of the post)

Joud loves spaghetti, shrimps and prefers red sauce than white. So let’s go for this veggie spaghetti with shrimps in red sauce!

When i saw this type of wholesome spaghetti, felt like i found a hidden gem. Made of 25% puree from real zucchini and spinach!

Cook as per pack instructions, drain and leave aside.

Cook 500g of shrimps, peel, devein and keep aside to prepare this easy and delicious sauce:

1 medium onion finely diced

1 garlic clove minced

1 tbs celery chopped

2 cups of tomato puree

2 tbsp olive oil

a handful black or green olive pitted

salt to taste

Cook onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil until fragrant and translucent

Add tomato puree and cook all together until it starts boiling then add the olive and shrimps to cook all together for 5 minutes.

Can’t wait to have my happy soul back to see if he will like this dish!

There was a message circulating that says:

Special request to all you kids returning to school; if you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because he/she doesn’t have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most “in” cloths, PLEASE step up, say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside school. Your kindness might just make a big difference in someone’s life!

PLEASE do ❤

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned. Happy cooking!

The word gnocchi is derived from the Italian word nocchio, meaning knots (gnocco is the singular form). In italian cooking gnocchi are small thick dumplings usually made with potato, semolina or wheat flour, egg and cheese. Can be served with a sauce or in soup.

Creamy spinach gnocchi, this velvety deliciousness, is a very easy and quick recipe, served on your table in less than 30 minutes. For a quick lunch or dinner after a long day all you need is this foolproof recipe. It calls for: (serving two people)

500g fresh gnocchi cooked as per package directions

500ml milk or 2 cups (you can use skimmed milk)

200 ml cream, or one cup

2-3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 cup fresh spinach (or thawed)

1 tbsp garlic salt

salt to taste

Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions and set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat then add the flour and cook it to make the roux. Slowly add the milk and cream to the roux and whisk constantly to avoid any lump.

Before the sauce starts to thicken add the garlic salt, salt and spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes until the spinach has wilted and sauce thickened.

Return the gnocchi to the sauce and fold to combine. You can add parmesan cheese to the sauce or simply sprinkle on top. Serve immediately and enjoy heaven in you mouth.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned. Happy cooking!

This is my new lunchtime invention! I heart cooking with shrimps and pairing it with a side filling dish. Today the Spanish rice is the awesome amigo.

If you are fan of the Spanish flavors, i encourage you to give it a try. Vamos to this flavorful quick, easy and foolproof recipe. I am sure you will end up with a staple recipe in your cooking book. I got lots of compliments 🙂

Heat the olive oil and cook the onion until fragrant and translucent. Add the rice and pour the chicken broth. If you prefer vegetable broth go ahead, it will still be as delicious. Mix all and add the remaining ingredients, tomato paste, paprika and garlic salt. Put 200g of the shrimps and keep the other 200g to serve it along with the rice for a nice presentation. When it starts boiling, cover your pot with the lid and let it cook on a very slow flame about 20-25 minutes or until all the liquid is gone.

This rice is a basic one for more other inventions, next time i will try it with beans or chicken. I will keep you posted. Happy cooking 🙂

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.